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Strapped
Strapped Series Omnibus
Nina G. Jones continues to prove herself a master storyteller with this book. Her pacing is a stroke of genius. There are several bombs to be dropped in this book and she takes her time with every single one of them setting them up perfectly and then gently places them right in your lap, wrapped up in a pretty black bow."- Wicked Women Book Blog
"Strapped by Nina G. Jones is a toe-curling great read filled with twists and turns that will keep you reading until the end."- Read Our Lips Book Blog
These two are like atom bombs headed straight for each other. While their love explodes, can those around them survive? - Amazon Review
By all appearances, Shyla Ball has an enviable a loyal boyfriend, a great job, and family that loves her. She doesn't realize how deeply unsatisfied she is until she has an embarrassing encounter with a handsome stranger at a coffee shop. Taylor Holden, a successful businessman, takes a sudden special interest in her and offers her a job she cannot refuse. Soon after, she learns there is much more to this intensely private man than meets the eye. He is hiding many painful secrets, including why it is that he has seemingly plucked her out of obscurity for such a lucrative position. Her "perfect" world is turned upside down by her infatuation towards Taylor and in just a couple of months, her life looks nothing like it did before. While she is frightened by the changes she sees in herself, she cannot resist the lure of Taylor Holden. As Shyla slowly gains Taylor's trust, she learns of his complex history and how it has molded him into the person he has become. When elements of Taylor's secret past resurface and threaten to destroy them, Shyla finds out there may be more to Taylor's story than even he is aware of.
Please This is a dark novel and it contains adult themes and content. Both main characters have mental health and emotional issues and are deeply flawed. You will likely have conflicted feelings about the characters. This is not a typical romance novel.
Total series is appx. 321k words.
"Strapped by Nina G. Jones is a toe-curling great read filled with twists and turns that will keep you reading until the end."- Read Our Lips Book Blog
These two are like atom bombs headed straight for each other. While their love explodes, can those around them survive? - Amazon Review
By all appearances, Shyla Ball has an enviable a loyal boyfriend, a great job, and family that loves her. She doesn't realize how deeply unsatisfied she is until she has an embarrassing encounter with a handsome stranger at a coffee shop. Taylor Holden, a successful businessman, takes a sudden special interest in her and offers her a job she cannot refuse. Soon after, she learns there is much more to this intensely private man than meets the eye. He is hiding many painful secrets, including why it is that he has seemingly plucked her out of obscurity for such a lucrative position. Her "perfect" world is turned upside down by her infatuation towards Taylor and in just a couple of months, her life looks nothing like it did before. While she is frightened by the changes she sees in herself, she cannot resist the lure of Taylor Holden. As Shyla slowly gains Taylor's trust, she learns of his complex history and how it has molded him into the person he has become. When elements of Taylor's secret past resurface and threaten to destroy them, Shyla finds out there may be more to Taylor's story than even he is aware of.
Please This is a dark novel and it contains adult themes and content. Both main characters have mental health and emotional issues and are deeply flawed. You will likely have conflicted feelings about the characters. This is not a typical romance novel.
Total series is appx. 321k words.
1087 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2015
About the author
Nina G. Jones
10 books1,937 followersBy day, Nina G. Jones works for an internet startup and is a freelance copywriter. She lives with her husband and two dogs.
By night, she explores the hidden recesses of the human psyche in her writing.
Nina has a background in Psychology and uses this as a starting point for her writing. She adds depth to her characters by exploring their psychological motivations. Due to the nature of the topics she explores, Nina does not shy away from explicit language, sexuality, or violence. Despite covering some heavy topics, Nina finds a way to infuse humor into her writing as well.
She has a particular fascination with people who appear to be “normal” or “successful” by all outside appearances who are hiding a secret life.
By night, she explores the hidden recesses of the human psyche in her writing.
Nina has a background in Psychology and uses this as a starting point for her writing. She adds depth to her characters by exploring their psychological motivations. Due to the nature of the topics she explores, Nina does not shy away from explicit language, sexuality, or violence. Despite covering some heavy topics, Nina finds a way to infuse humor into her writing as well.
She has a particular fascination with people who appear to be “normal” or “successful” by all outside appearances who are hiding a secret life.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 24, 2015
I read this after reading Debt, which I consider near the top of my fave dark erotica reads. I can't believe I read through this whole trilogy curious to know how it would conclude. I wasn't in love with the characters. Taylor was constantly angsty and brooding for no reason; I didn't care for him. More than that, through 3 books, the sex scenes, some hot, got repetitive. The whole trilogy depended on a few twists with little payoff here and there. I like that the author has a penchant for twisted scenarios and dark pasts, but this trilogy could've been trimmed down.
July 15, 2017
An incredible 5 stars!
Oh wow! This series is absolutely brilliant, it takes you on one hell of a journey, full of mystery, gripping suspense, erotic sex, revenge, murder, secrets and lies, making this a thrilling read! Shyla and Taylor are perfect characters, the story line is excellent it pulls you in from the very start and keeps you hostage until the incredible end, with not a dull moment in between. The editing wasn't great, but every thing else was, so I can live with that. To say I loved this series is an understatement, it's one of the best I've read and I've read a lot of them so I'm going to highly recommend it, you won't be disappointed.
Oh wow! This series is absolutely brilliant, it takes you on one hell of a journey, full of mystery, gripping suspense, erotic sex, revenge, murder, secrets and lies, making this a thrilling read! Shyla and Taylor are perfect characters, the story line is excellent it pulls you in from the very start and keeps you hostage until the incredible end, with not a dull moment in between. The editing wasn't great, but every thing else was, so I can live with that. To say I loved this series is an understatement, it's one of the best I've read and I've read a lot of them so I'm going to highly recommend it, you won't be disappointed.
June 14, 2015
This started off good but then I don't know I just lost it!! I didnt like book 3 at all it was good to see what was going on but it was just all too much for me!! I got bored but wanted to finish it and see if it had a good end but it didn't!! It did feel like a mix between 50 and crossfire series but added more dark crap to it which made it loose it's edge!! Good try but I won't be rereading this in the future sorry just not my cup of tea!!! X
Read
May 28, 2015I feel bad rating books I DNF. This was just not for me. The heroine, Shyla, was weird and so passive and practically a doormat. I kind of want to tattoo "Yes, Taylor..whatever you say Taylor" on her forehead. Nauseating. Taylor was also not Alpha at all. Im not even talking about his OCDs as that was an interesting story line, but his personality. Just sooo nice and a little passive. Hope other ppl have a better time if they decide to go for it.
August 12, 2026
**★★★★★ | 6 stars if Goodreads would let me**
**MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD**
If I could erase one series from my memory just to experience it for the first time again, it would be *Strapped*.
I genuinely don't know if another series will ever give me the same experience. The character development, sexual exploration, psychological manipulation, obsessive devotion, and absolutely insane plot twists made this one of the most captivating reading experiences I've ever had. Even now, I can remember almost every major scene, revelation, and relationship development. That's how much this story stayed with me.
And the fact that Nina G. Jones managed to make me cry over the happiness of two fictional people after everything they endured? Unforgettable.
What initially hooked me was how naturally everything started.
Shyla bumping into Taylor at the coffee shop, his unexpected reaction, the eventual job offer, and their increasingly intertwined lives. None of it felt like an overly dramatic or forced introduction to a romance. I was intrigued because I genuinely had no idea where their relationship was going.
The mutual attraction was there almost immediately, but neither of them was willing to fully acknowledge or act on it. I absolutely loved that push and pull. The anticipation of wondering who would finally give in was incredible, especially as Taylor gradually started showing how invested he was in Shyla.
What made me really fall for their relationship was watching Taylor become increasingly protective of her. The encounters involving her ex and his brother, the way he started involving himself in her life, and how his actions gradually revealed just how much she meant to him. I loved watching a man who was so controlled and calculating become completely devoted to one woman.
And I loved the relationships surrounding them, too. Taylor's closest friends gradually becoming Shyla's chosen family added another layer to the story that made me even more invested in their world.
Now, the sex.
**Absolutely phenomenal.**
What I loved most was that their sexual relationship was an entire journey of its own. Shyla discovering more about Taylor's interests, the secret room, the BDSM exploration, and the constant anticipation of what they would experience next. Taylor's commanding personality paired with Shyla's curiosity made their chemistry incredible.
The shooting range scene? The sex club? The secret room? I still remember them.
But it wasn't simply the explicit content that made those scenes so memorable. Their sexual relationship evolved alongside their feelings, and that development made everything even more compelling. The encounters were descriptive, varied, intense, and genuinely exciting. I never felt like I was reading the same sexual dynamic over and over again.
And somehow, the psychological storyline was just as captivating.
**THE PLOT TWISTS.**
The mysterious hotel encounter and discovering the man was actually Taylor's brother? I was completely blindsided.
Shyla's ex and trying to figure out his involvement in everything? The secrets surrounding Taylor's family? The hidden box? The eventual revelation that his mother was involved with his brother while his father didn't know?
Absolutely insane.
I loved constantly questioning what was happening, who was involved, and what everyone's motivations were. Every time I thought I understood the story, another revelation completely changed my interpretation of everything that had come before it.
And the fact that so many seemingly separate events eventually connected made it even better. The twists weren't simply thrown into the story for shock value. There was an intricate psychological plot developing underneath the romance the entire time.
Then there's Taylor ultimately killing his own brother to save Shyla.
That moment was both shocking and incredibly satisfying in terms of what it demonstrated about Taylor. Watching his protectiveness develop throughout the series and then seeing just how far he was willing to go for her was intense.
But what made *Strapped* truly exceptional was the relationship itself.
I loved Taylor and Shyla together. I loved the natural progression from attraction and resistance to intimacy, protectiveness, obsession, and genuine devotion. I loved watching their lives become intertwined and discovering all the different sides of their personalities.
And after everything they went through, the emotional payoff was overwhelming.
I didn't cry because of one particularly tragic moment. I cried because of the entire rollercoaster. All the secrets, danger, sexual exploration, betrayals, emotional turmoil, and everything they had fought through to ultimately be together.
**They made it. They chose each other. And they finally got their happiness.**
That was what broke me.
There's something incredibly satisfying about spending so much time with two characters, becoming so invested in their relationship, and then receiving an ending that genuinely rewards everything you've experienced alongside them.
I wasn't simply happy that the story was over. I was emotional because I loved these characters and everything they'd built together.
And I think that's why this series remains my ultimate benchmark for romance.
It wasn't just a phenomenal love story. It was an intricate psychological mystery, an exploration of sexuality and power dynamics, a story about family and betrayal, and a relationship that developed so naturally that I became completely attached to the characters.
Every element made the others better.
The sexual encounters weren't separate from the relationship development. The mysteries weren't separate from the characters. And the emotional payoff wouldn't have been nearly as powerful without the journey that came before it.
**This is what a six-star romance looks like to me.**
Give me characters I genuinely love, mutual yearning, incredible sexual chemistry, progressive intimacy, psychological complexity, unexpected revelations, and a hard-earned happy ending.
*Strapped* delivered all of it.
I've read plenty of dark romances since, and while I've found others that I've absolutely loved, very few have come close to recreating the experience this series gave me.
I would happily read another 500 pages about Taylor and Shyla simply living their lives, as long as they remained true to the characters I fell in love with.
But more than anything, I wish I could go back to that first coffee shop encounter, knowing absolutely nothing about what was coming.
**Six stars. An all-time favorite. A series I will forever be chasing the feeling of reading for the first time.**
**MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD**
If I could erase one series from my memory just to experience it for the first time again, it would be *Strapped*.
I genuinely don't know if another series will ever give me the same experience. The character development, sexual exploration, psychological manipulation, obsessive devotion, and absolutely insane plot twists made this one of the most captivating reading experiences I've ever had. Even now, I can remember almost every major scene, revelation, and relationship development. That's how much this story stayed with me.
And the fact that Nina G. Jones managed to make me cry over the happiness of two fictional people after everything they endured? Unforgettable.
What initially hooked me was how naturally everything started.
Shyla bumping into Taylor at the coffee shop, his unexpected reaction, the eventual job offer, and their increasingly intertwined lives. None of it felt like an overly dramatic or forced introduction to a romance. I was intrigued because I genuinely had no idea where their relationship was going.
The mutual attraction was there almost immediately, but neither of them was willing to fully acknowledge or act on it. I absolutely loved that push and pull. The anticipation of wondering who would finally give in was incredible, especially as Taylor gradually started showing how invested he was in Shyla.
What made me really fall for their relationship was watching Taylor become increasingly protective of her. The encounters involving her ex and his brother, the way he started involving himself in her life, and how his actions gradually revealed just how much she meant to him. I loved watching a man who was so controlled and calculating become completely devoted to one woman.
And I loved the relationships surrounding them, too. Taylor's closest friends gradually becoming Shyla's chosen family added another layer to the story that made me even more invested in their world.
Now, the sex.
**Absolutely phenomenal.**
What I loved most was that their sexual relationship was an entire journey of its own. Shyla discovering more about Taylor's interests, the secret room, the BDSM exploration, and the constant anticipation of what they would experience next. Taylor's commanding personality paired with Shyla's curiosity made their chemistry incredible.
The shooting range scene? The sex club? The secret room? I still remember them.
But it wasn't simply the explicit content that made those scenes so memorable. Their sexual relationship evolved alongside their feelings, and that development made everything even more compelling. The encounters were descriptive, varied, intense, and genuinely exciting. I never felt like I was reading the same sexual dynamic over and over again.
And somehow, the psychological storyline was just as captivating.
**THE PLOT TWISTS.**
The mysterious hotel encounter and discovering the man was actually Taylor's brother? I was completely blindsided.
Shyla's ex and trying to figure out his involvement in everything? The secrets surrounding Taylor's family? The hidden box? The eventual revelation that his mother was involved with his brother while his father didn't know?
Absolutely insane.
I loved constantly questioning what was happening, who was involved, and what everyone's motivations were. Every time I thought I understood the story, another revelation completely changed my interpretation of everything that had come before it.
And the fact that so many seemingly separate events eventually connected made it even better. The twists weren't simply thrown into the story for shock value. There was an intricate psychological plot developing underneath the romance the entire time.
Then there's Taylor ultimately killing his own brother to save Shyla.
That moment was both shocking and incredibly satisfying in terms of what it demonstrated about Taylor. Watching his protectiveness develop throughout the series and then seeing just how far he was willing to go for her was intense.
But what made *Strapped* truly exceptional was the relationship itself.
I loved Taylor and Shyla together. I loved the natural progression from attraction and resistance to intimacy, protectiveness, obsession, and genuine devotion. I loved watching their lives become intertwined and discovering all the different sides of their personalities.
And after everything they went through, the emotional payoff was overwhelming.
I didn't cry because of one particularly tragic moment. I cried because of the entire rollercoaster. All the secrets, danger, sexual exploration, betrayals, emotional turmoil, and everything they had fought through to ultimately be together.
**They made it. They chose each other. And they finally got their happiness.**
That was what broke me.
There's something incredibly satisfying about spending so much time with two characters, becoming so invested in their relationship, and then receiving an ending that genuinely rewards everything you've experienced alongside them.
I wasn't simply happy that the story was over. I was emotional because I loved these characters and everything they'd built together.
And I think that's why this series remains my ultimate benchmark for romance.
It wasn't just a phenomenal love story. It was an intricate psychological mystery, an exploration of sexuality and power dynamics, a story about family and betrayal, and a relationship that developed so naturally that I became completely attached to the characters.
Every element made the others better.
The sexual encounters weren't separate from the relationship development. The mysteries weren't separate from the characters. And the emotional payoff wouldn't have been nearly as powerful without the journey that came before it.
**This is what a six-star romance looks like to me.**
Give me characters I genuinely love, mutual yearning, incredible sexual chemistry, progressive intimacy, psychological complexity, unexpected revelations, and a hard-earned happy ending.
*Strapped* delivered all of it.
I've read plenty of dark romances since, and while I've found others that I've absolutely loved, very few have come close to recreating the experience this series gave me.
I would happily read another 500 pages about Taylor and Shyla simply living their lives, as long as they remained true to the characters I fell in love with.
But more than anything, I wish I could go back to that first coffee shop encounter, knowing absolutely nothing about what was coming.
**Six stars. An all-time favorite. A series I will forever be chasing the feeling of reading for the first time.**
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2017
OKkay
So this book was not the best I have read. It did not get me excited and more than not I wanted to put the book down
So this book was not the best I have read. It did not get me excited and more than not I wanted to put the book down
July 19, 2015
Didn't love it. The plot was twisted and certainly wasn't obvious. I gave it two stars for the plot development. The sex was kinky and graphic. In fact, and I am no prude, brutal.
I think the problem was that I didn't love the characters. I didn't see the why anywhere. And there wasn't one redeeming character anywhere. the lessons they learned weren't all good ones.
I am sure some will love this series but for me, this was a "hard limit".
I think the problem was that I didn't love the characters. I didn't see the why anywhere. And there wasn't one redeeming character anywhere. the lessons they learned weren't all good ones.
I am sure some will love this series but for me, this was a "hard limit".
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews